What's on this weekend in Melbourne

Discover things to do in Melbourne this weekend, from free events to exhibitions, attractions and places to visit.

The NGV and Arts Centre lit up on a winter night.

Best Now or Never events on this weekend

Red laser beams dance across the water’s surface,
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Multimmersion: Upside Down V2

A contemplative exploration of light, space and reflection transforms the Yarra River – Birrarung.

Still from an immersive cinematic experience featuring surreal architecture and drawings of humans transformed into video.
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XYZZY REDUX

Experience projections on the façade of Hamer Hall.

Melbourne city skyline illuminated at night, viewed across the Yarra River, with a bridge in the middle-ground shrouded in mist.
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The Falls Before Us

Evan Walker Bridge vanishes in a dense mist.

A scenic night cruise on the Yarra River, Melbourne, showcasing the city's skyline.
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Now or Never: River of Light Cruise

Experience Melbourne's spectacular Now or Never festival from the best seat on the Yarra.

Large brass percussion instruments installed on a wall in a darkened gallery space.
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Revivification

What happens to creativity when it is no longer bound to a living body?

DJ and producer Zalina, her hands resting on either side of her head, wearing a strapless top, her long dark hair falling past her shoulders.

Chuleo Club: A.Chal/Slim Soledad/LIZZ/Dinamarca/Zalina

Rooted in Latinx club sounds, community and underground energy: loud, intimate, unrelenting.

Two members of Octave One, a Detroit techno music group, both wearing black clothing and looking directly at the camera.

Finding Figaro: Octave One/Sleep D x Hybrid Man/JNETT/Baby G

An all-night journey through electronic music’s past, present and future.

Headshot of sound and light artist Robin Fox, a man with a thick long white beard and long hair, wearing sunglasses, standing in front of a rocky coastline and water.

Closing Night: Robin Fox/MY DISCO/Jeho Yun + Kyoungjin So

Where industrial force and rhythmic intensity collide.

This weekend

A yellow vintage phone on a wooden table illuminated by a desk lamp, part of an interactive theatre installation at the Malthouse Theatre.
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The Nightline

A crafted theatrical audio-installation experience inspired by late-night anonymous voice messages.

Display of totemic sculptural pieces on plinths in a gallery setting.
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Camp Stove

Craft's annual First Peoples-led exhibition, curated by Kate ten Buuren.

A vintage-style black top hat, a fob watch, a blank note card and a pair of leather gloves on a table.
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The Importance of Being Earnest

A witty comedy of romance, mistaken identities and unforgettable laughs.

A still image from the movie How to Train your Dragon 2, showing a boy riding a dragon with other dragons flying around them.
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How to Train Your Dragon 2 in Concert

An awe-inspiring experience for the whole family.

Three side-by-side television screens showing the same scene from a television show and being watched by an audience of women.

A Proudly Unserious Trivia Game: TSITP Edition

Test your knowledge at this Proudly Unserious Trivia: The Summer I Turned Pretty Edition.

An artwork that features discarded electronic components resembling a robotic creature, part of an exhibition at Science Gallery.

Friday Night Social: Wild Circuits

Enjoy Science Gallery Melbourne’s free Friday night parties with their latest exhibition.

A man seated at a grand piano plays while a woman in a white spotted evening dress sings in a hotel lobby.

The Grand Jazz Dinner Show

A spectacular live jazz dinner-and-show with a four-course menu and matched wines included.

A young woman playing the harp with an overlay of neon purple wings and curved string running through the image.

Melbourne Youth Orchestras: Songs of Flight

The Percy Grainger Youth Orchestra presents Songs of Flight.

Regular weekend events

Two First Nations individuals sitting back to back on the ground outdoors, engaged in a traditional weaving activity near a body of water.
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FUTURE COUNTRY: Country Road + NGV First Nations Commissions

The second iteration of the Country Road and NGV First Nations Commission initiative.

Visitors enjoying an evening event at the National Gallery of Victoria, seated on stools under shadowy lighting.
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NGV Friday Nights: Cartier

NGV Friday Nights shine with Cartier, featuring live music, flims, food and drinks.

Singers and dancers on a theatre stage in a scene from A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical, with spotlights and stage sets.
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A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical

An inspiring, exhilarating, energetic musical memoir.

An ancient Roman marble bust with its nose chipped off, displayed on a small square plinth.
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Rome: Empire, Power, People

This Melbourne-exclusive exhibition is a vibrant exploration of Ancient Rome.

Two people seated below a neon sign.
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The Story of the Moving Image

A permanent exhibition that journeys through the past, present and future of the moving image.

An exquisite Cartier diamond tiara, suspended against a black background.
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Melbourne Winter Masterpieces: CARTIER

Featuring nearly 400 extraordinary jewellery objects, alongside rare archival materials.

Animator and filmmaker Adam Elliot working on a claymation set, adjusting characters.
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Making Memoir of a Snail

Explore handmade sets, props and characters from Adam Elliot's claymation film Memoir of a Snail.

A dark interior space, with smoky purple rounds of light, silhouettes of people's arms pushing into these open spaces.
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Imaginator

An immersive experience that celebrates imagination, technology and play.

A plate of fluffy pancakes with ice-cream and chocolate over the top.
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Chocolate Family Adventure Day

Enjoy an all-inclusive, stress-free family outing filled with fun, creativity, and delicious treats.

A small tour group looking up from the ground floor of the La Trobe Reading Room.
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State Library Victoria Unlocked

On this exclusive tour, gain access to State Library Victoria before the doors open to the public.

Man holding an old-fashioned lantern outside illuminated Flinders St Station at night, wearing a suit and cap.
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Hidden Melbourne: Ghosts, Murder and Mystery

Take a spine-chilling journey back in time to explore the rich paranormal realm of Old Melbourne.

Black and white photograph from the 1960s of model, Twiggy, wearing a mini-dress at the Melbourne Cup.
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Swinging 60s

This exhibition looks at what it was like to live in Victoria during the 1960s.

A group of people on a guided walk of the Royal Botanic Gardens, with trees in the background.
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Free Guided Walk

A free guided walk is the perfect way to enjoy the sunny weather in Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne.

Three ballerinas on a darkened stage in glowing tutu dresses.
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Ballet of Lights: Sleeping Beauty in a Sparkling Show

The classic fairytale is reimagined with glow-in-the-dark costumes and luminous staging.

A stand-up comedian talking into a microphone they hold in their hand, performing live on stage.
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Main Stage: Stand-Up Comedy

Have a laugh with stand-up comedy from Australia's best comedians, plus international drop-ins.

Three people on a walking tour with a Fit City tour guide, two carrying a takeaway coffee.
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Laneways and Lattes Walking Tour

Explore Melbourne’s hidden laneways with coffee, street art, history and culture.

Two actors wearing formal clothes in a spotlight on a theatre stage during a performance of Pretty Woman: The Musical.
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Pretty Woman: The Musical

A dazzling stage adaptation of one of the most beloved romantic comedies of all time.

The lobby of a comedy venue, with a blue velvet couch and red curtains.
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Sunday Night Stand Up Comedy Show

See some of Melbourne's best stand-up comedy, every Sunday night.

A person in a gallery setting looking at a sculpture of an oversize wooden pipe with a sculpture of a giant peeled mandarin balanced on the pipe.
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Poetry Goes No Further Than Language

Explore a moment in mid-1980s China when a group of artists began to question values about art.

Two people on a stage giving each other a high five, one also holding a microphone.
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Comedy at the Coopers Inn

A comedy club featuring the best local, interstate and international stand-up comedians.

Workshop class participants smiling in a studio setting, holding up mosaic pots and coasters they have made.
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Mosaic Making Workshop for Beginners

Learn the art of creating beautiful mosaics from start to finish.

A group of smiling participants in a studio workshop setting, holding glass-domed terrariums.
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Serene Terrarium: Workshop for Beginners

Create your mini plant world while enjoying a soothing cuppa and a calming environment.

Workshop participants smiling and holding multicoloured mosaic tiled coasters.
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Colourful Mosaic Coaster Workshop

Come and make mosaic coasters and step into the world of colours.

A close up of flower made from enamel craft
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Cloisonne Enamel Painting Workshop for Beginners

Create a unique drink coaster using the ancient cloisonné art.

Three smiling workshop participants in a studio space, holding up jewellery they have made.
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Polymer Clay Earring Workshop

Create beautiful jewellery in this fun workshop.

People looking up at the trees on a guided walk in the Royal Botanic Gardens.
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Aboriginal Heritage Walk

Wominjeka: journey into Melbourne Gardens with an Aboriginal guide.

Two people standing in front of a large pink spiky wall of speakers in an exhibition space.
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Reverb: A Journey into Sound

ACMI and RISING present Reverb: A Journey Into Sound, a major exhibition of vinyl culture and music.

Cheese and wine display on a table near a window.
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High Cheese

A bold, new three-tiered journey inspired by fire and water.

Table set with food and drinks next to potted palms.
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Fern’s Hidden Winter Garden

Melbourne's most-booked winter escape blooms into spring.

Installation view of the Spartans & Anzacs exhibition at the Shrine of Remembrance, with people walking around the space, reading panels and looking at displays.
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Spartans & Anzacs

This exhibition invites reflection on the enduring values forged in conflict.

Two young adults observing a sculpture in a gallery space with digital and scupltural displays.
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EMERGENCE[Y]

An exhibition exploring how adaptation in a world of flux unfolds in every layer of life.

A solar eclipse, with light emerging around the edges of the blacked-out sun.
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Solar Tours

Come and experience the wonders of the Sun at the historic Melbourne Observatory.

Visitors walking through a 3D simulation of the cosmos using wireless VR headsets.
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Starstruck

Smithsonian Starstruck is an immersive 3D journey to the cosmos.

A large group of people in active wear all running on a path in park.
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Run the Tan: Run Club

Start the weekend off on the right foot with a run around the Tan.

Market stallholder with her puppet toys, beside the Yarra River in the CBD.
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Southbank Makers Market

Explore the Southbank Makers Market every Sunday on the promenade at Southgate.

Looking over a blurred shoulder at a table with books displayed.
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World of the Book

Experience the rare, the sacred and the iconic in this one-of-a-kind exibition.

A group of people seated in a small, intimate venue with red lighting and small red lamps on tables.
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Comedy Fridays at Piper's Playhouse

A fresh line-up of leading Australian comedians, alongside surprise guest appearances.

Six female performers on a purple lit stage in costumes and striking poses, all singing into microphones they hold in their hands.
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SIX the Musical

SIX the Musical makes its royal stage return to Melbourne's Comedy Theatre.

A yellow vintage phone on a wooden table illuminated by a desk lamp, part of an interactive theatre installation at the Malthouse Theatre.
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The Nightline

A crafted theatrical audio-installation experience inspired by late-night anonymous voice messages.

Novelty wind-up chattering teeth against a yellow background.
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Basement Comedy Club: Weekend Showcase

Bringing you the biggest names and best comedians in the country, and beyond.

A lighting display that shows a red design with a square and a light above and below.
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Now or Never

Twelve days of art, ideas, music and technology await - a festival of new dimensions.

Black and white photograph of a busy Melbourne city intersection with trams, cars, people crossing the road, and buildings, dating from around the 1950s or 1960s.
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Making Modern Melbourne

This free exhibition examines the tumultuous twentieth century in Melbourne.

Four rows of people sitting smiling and laughing.
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Kings of Comedy: Underground, Uncensored, Unrivalled

Enjoy stand-up comedy from future stars and celebrity guest headliners.

Two different hands holding two wine glasses, resting on a restaurant's dining table, a plate of food and napkins also on the table.
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Mystery Sidedoor City: Wine and Asian Fusion Bites

Enjoy off-menu bites and paired drinks at a hidden Melbourne venue on this guided tasting adventure.

Two three-dimensional botanical sculptural paintings by artist Josh Davison hanging side-by-side on a pale coloured gallery wall.
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Joshua Davison

More Life is a solo exhibition by artist Joshua Davison.

Four women standing and holding up small mosaic lamps in front of a circular neon sign.
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Mosaic Art Classes Melbourne: Turkish Lamp Workshop

Make beautiful mosaic lamps at this Turkish lamp workshop

Several rows of people painting on canvases in a room with large, wall murals.
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Drip Splash: Creative Night Out

Unleash your inner artist with a night of drinks, paint, music and friends.

A little girl looking at a colourful display of cushions in an art gallery.
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Children's Play: Ragnar Kjartansson

A new children's exhibition by Ragnar Kjartansson, inspired by the idea of a theatrical feast.

A delicately painted porcelain plate with a blue design depicting waves around the outside and a burning landscape in the centre.
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Margaret Ackland: Reflections

Margaret Ackland’s elegant still lifes serve up the uneasy truths of contemporary life.

Four cabaret performers surrounded by pink and yellow feather fans.
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Cabaret Ridiculous

An hour of variety entertainment that’s as unpredictable as it is unforgettable.

Woman in blue dress sitting in a garden, with face upturned.
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Forest Therapy

Unwind with forest therapy (shinrin-yoku) and immerse your senses in nature.

A group of friends playing the board game dungeons and dragons at Fortress Tavern Melbourne, with a Dungeon Master dressed in a witch's costume leading the game.
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Dungeons and Flagons

Forge friendships through adventure at Dungeons and Flagons at Fortress.

See all events on this weekend

More to explore

People milling around Fed Square at sunset.

What's on today

Discover free events, epic festivals and shows on in Melbourne today.

A night tennis match at Rod Laver Arena.

Major events

From the Australian Open to the Melbourne Cup, major events take centre stage throughout the year.

Lasers reflecting over water

What's free in Melbourne this month

Everything to see, do and enjoy in Melbourne for free this month.

A chef cooking meat skewers over a flaming grill.
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What's on in November

Things to do in Melbourne in November, from free events to exhibitions and places to visit.